


when the lights go out

by rainbowrabblerouser



Series: written because I'm lonely, melancholic, gay, yearning, aching, and pining and– [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Pendragon Lives (Merlin), First Kiss, Fix-It, Friends to Lovers, Holding Hands, M/M, Post-Canon, Running Away, Song: Run Away With Me (Carly Rae Jepsen), Title from a Carly Rae Jepsen Song, they run away and become farmers like Arthur said
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24173200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowrabblerouser/pseuds/rainbowrabblerouser
Summary: Arthur survives his fate and Merlin runs away with him.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: written because I'm lonely, melancholic, gay, yearning, aching, and pining and– [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712041
Comments: 2
Kudos: 139





	when the lights go out

**Author's Note:**

> "Run Away With Me" - Carly Rae Jepsen

One night, Arthur dies.

Or so everyone thought. 

Within an hour, he’s at Merlin’s window, throwing pebbles on it like some bad boy.

“Arthur!”

“Quiet! Pack your things and come with me.”

So Merlin does what he says and leaves in the night.

Away from Camelot.

Forever.

-

“Did you mourn me?” Arthur says when they cross the borders of Camelot and don’t look back. “Seriously. Merlin.”

Merlin avoids his gaze and hopes that Arthur can’t see how red his face probably was. He did mourn him. He had truly believed that Arthur had died. And that he had lost him forever. Without ever admitting how he really felt.

“If I said that I did, would you explain to me what we are doing out so late.”

“We are running away.”

And with that, Arthur stopped in his tracks as they stepped into the forest. 

Then, his hands were on Merlin’s shoulders, pulling him close. It was dark and Merlin felt the urge to let go and conjure some light, but he leans into Arthur’s touch. They were so close that Arthur’s warmth enveloped him on the windy night. 

“Merlin. I’m sorry. For everything. When I faded away, I thought of you. And now I can’t go back there. Everyone would think I was a ghost. It wouldn’t go back to how it was before. And you’re the only one who I can be with from now on. They’d think I was cursed or magical or something–”

“All right. Now, are you done baring your soul to me or are you just going to run away now?” Merlin snarked, putting a hand over one of Arthur’s.

He closed the space between them and pressed his forehead against Arthur’s.

“How do you trust me so easily, Merlin? How do you even know I’m actually here?”

Merlin just intertwines their hands as they continue walking.

“Because it’s you. And only the real Arthur would be such a clotpole and throw rocks at my window,” Merlin swung their hands and Arthur scoffed and squeezed his hand. “Also, I can do this. You are definitely real.”

“And I am slowly regretting waking up.”

-

When they venture far beyond the map and away from Camelot, they tear up the map and just wander until they stumble upon a nice, abandoned cottage in the fields.

“We’re going to become farmers, Arthur?”

“I’ve always wanted to be one if I was not a prince.”

“Don’t expect me to do all the heavy lifting!”

“But you have magic, Merlin!”

“Oh, now, you like magic!”

They bicker like nothing changed, as if Arthur had never died and they hadn’t just thrown their lives away for each other. 

And now they’re starting a new life. Together.

Because Merlin would just do that for him. With no hesitation.

Maybe he loved him. But he wouldn’t say it.

“I think that you’re just being sassy with me because you know that I’m going to end up doing all of the heavy lifting and I’m just still shocked that we did this. Merlin.”

Merlin just stared, not knowing what to say. 

“Well...it’s you, Arthur. I would never just leave you. I couldn’t let you go. When I thought I lost you, I couldn’t even talk to anyone about it,” Merlin finally said softly.

  
Arthur looks back at him, looking as if he’d cry any moment, his heart shattering. 

“I’m here now, Merlin. And I’ll never leave you again. I didn’t know...I didn’t think I could lose you either. It’s almost happened so many times and I just can’t imagine going on like this if this ends.”

“This? What do you mean, Arthur?”

And then there’s silence. 

They’re standing outside the cottage and the sun is setting. It had been nearly a week of walking. Merlin and Arthur had been camping out and talking about anything and everything. Now that there was no one else, they could be honest.

The tension was palpable. It’s not like it wasn’t there before. Now it was just them. No one to interrupt them. No one to judge. No one to stop them.

No one to get in the way.

“I think you’re just saying that, Merlin. We both know that there is something here that we have chosen to never talk about despite how much you love to talk a–”

“Shut up, Arthur.”

“What?”

Then, Merlin was close to him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him in.

“Don’t tease me. I can’t take it. If you know how I feel, then why wouldn’t you just do something? String me along, like I’m one of those girls who’d be your flavor of the week. Ugh. I just– Arthur! Please.”

Arthur looked back at him, speechless. Merlin had fire in his eyes. Something that rarely ever happened. He was serious. And Arthur couldn’t just ignore his feelings.

Rage. Yearning. Frustration.

Maybe it was love?

He wasn’t sure.

And Merlin was still giving him that look. It was so intense. Arthur wasn’t sure if he was feeling intimidated, nervous, or turned on. Maybe it was a combination of all.

“What do you want me to do? You have me where you want me. Say it.”

They were at a standstill with the sun fading out in the horizon and the darkness slowly overtaking them. Arthur was still staring back at Merlin, still focused on him. Only him.

There wasn’t anything that could get between them as Merlin still held on. Merlin looked him up and down, not relenting one bit. And yeah, Arthur was definitely turned on. No way was there any going back from this. Their relationship would never be the same no matter what the outcome of this situation was.

Arthur felt vulnerable. He always did around Merlin, but this was different. Like he could have anything happen to him, whether it was rejection, reciprocation, or Merlin straight up murdering him, and he’d still go back to him. He supposed that that was what love was. A commitment despite everything. No, because of everything.

“No. I don’t think I won’t,” Merlin was just tempting him at this point, biting his lip and holding his intense gaze. If looks could kill, Arthur would have stayed dead.

“Then, what’re you gonna do about it?”

“This.”

Before Arthur knows it, Merlin’s lips are on his in a passionate kiss. Something that was a long time coming, a moment of release and finality. He deepens it as Merlin runs his hands down his chest and Arthur puts a hand around the back of his neck to pull him closer and closer until they’re kissing and kissing and kissing.

Over and over and Arthur starts feeling so warm and his heart is full. Butterflies in his stomach like when he first saw Merlin laugh and he noticed how blue his eyes were. Like he could get lost in his eyes forever, but he was always distracted by whatever Merlin said. Only for him. Just to rile him up and get under his skin, pushing him to his breaking point. The only person who could do that to him.

It’s dark by the time they pull away and Arthur can’t breathe. They really did that. And he kissed him back and had melted into his touch, desperate for more. Anything, everything. Just any excuse to keep him close and put him at ease. 

Merlin is grinning like an idiot. And he’s still got his hands on him. Eager for more.

“We don’t need to talk about this. As long as we keep doing that,” Arthur said. 

“Do you want to do something more?”

Arthur may not be a king anymore, but this was worth much more than any crown.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: @rainbowrabblerouser


End file.
